- Graduates of Warner Bros. Television Group’s 2019
Directors’ Workshop ready to call “action!”
- 100% of participants from the class of 2019 book helming
assignments on WBTVG series

Warner Bros. Television Group recently completed the seventh edition of its annual Directors’ Workshop and announced today that 100% of the graduates from the Class of 2019 have booked directing assignments for upcoming episodes of the Studio’s series. Established in 2013, the WBTVG Directors’ Workshop aims to discover new and innovative talent, prepare directors from other creative fields (motion pictures, commercials, music videos, shortform content, etc.) for the transition to television, and spur diversity and inclusion by providing increased opportunities for female directors and directors from ethnic minority groups.

The following graduates from the 2019 WBTVG Directors’ Workshop have earned directing assignments for the upcoming 2019–20 television season, with two of the graduates landing additional directing assignments prior to beginning their first.

Bola Ogun is set to direct an episode of Legacies, and she is also set to direct episodes of Lucifer and God Friended Me. She previously directed an episode of Queen Sugar. Her short Are We Good Parents? premiered at SXSW. She’s also an alum of the Ryan Murphy Half Initiative, the WeForShe DirectHer Program, and AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women. She was also selected for Robert Rodriguez’s Rebel Without a Crew program, writing, directing, and producing the feature On the Run for $7,000.

America Young will direct an episode of Blindspot, and she has also booked an episode of Legacies. A longtime stunt coordinator, America directed her first feature, The Concessionaires Must Die!, executive produced by Stan Lee.

Lauren Petzke will direct an episode of Legacies. A production executive and coordinating producer at Julie Plec’s My So-Called Company, Lauren has previously directed several short films.

Charissa Sanjarernsuithikul will direct an episode of God Friended Me. A longtime television editor on series such as The Following, Castle, Designated Survivor and more, Charissa is also an alum of the Sony Diverse Directors Program.

Michelle Stephen has been tapped to direct an episode of Riverdale. Her short film Crystal premiered at SXSW. She is also an alum of the Sundance New Voices Lab.

Mo Perkins will direct an episode of Manifest. Her first feature, A Quiet Little Marriage, won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature at Slamdance, and her second feature, The Last Time You Had Fun, premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival.

Ryan Zaragoza will direct an episode of All American. Ryan’s pilot Sterling premiered at SXSW. He is also an alum of both the HBOAccess® Directing Fellowship and the Ryan Murphy Half Initiative.

Caity Lotz is set to direct an episode of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Lotz stars in the series as Sara Lance/White Canary. She originated the role on Arrow and has also appeared as the same character on Arrow-verse series The Flash and Supergirl.

Additionally, the following Class of 2019 graduates have secured offers to direct episodes during the 2020–21 season (pending series renewals):

Jes Macallan will direct an episode of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Jes currently stars as Ava Sharpe in the series and previously directed the short film Self, E.

Nathalie Boltt will direct an episode of Riverdale. She currently recurs as Penelope Blossom in the series. With support from the Melbourne Film Festival’s Accelerator Program and the New Zealand Film Commission, Nathalie will direct the upcoming feature film Holy Days, which she also wrote.

Since its inception in 2013, the WBTVG Directors’ Workshop has helped to launch or further the TV directing careers of more than 50 women and/or people of color. Additionally, 100% of the graduates from the last four editions of the Workshop, including 2019, have been booked to direct episodes of Warner Bros.–produced TV series.

The eight-week WBTVG Directors’ Workshop course is taught by esteemed directors Bethany Rooney and Mary Lou Belli, who have collectively helmed more than 300 episodes of network television. The Master Class features guest speakers currently working in television, including an eclectic mix of showrunners, directors, cinematographers, and editors. Each session teaches a new skill essential for excelling in pre-production, shooting, and post-production. The workshop also has optional components, with participation determined by each director’s skill set, including cinematography, acting, and shadowing.

In addition to the Directors’ Workshop, WBTVG operates the annual Television Writers’ Workshop, which has been the premier program for aspiring TV writers for more than 40 years, with successful alumni including Janine Sherman Barrois (Claws), Felicia D. Henderson (Gossip Girl), Joe Henderson (Lucifer), Michael Narducci (The Originals, The Vampire Diaries), Heather Mitchell (Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy), LaToya Morgan (Shameless) and many more.